A rapper from Florida, his record label and a local nightclub are being sued by five Gainesville residents who claimed they were injured when a concert got out of hand in 2006.

The rapper known as Plies was performing at the 238 West Nightclub on July 6, 2006. There was a sold out crowd of more than a thousand people. Just a few minutes before closing time, there was reportedly some unrest because the rapper’s mike had been cut off and because the performance was carrying on for too long. At this point, some members of the rapper’s entourage, including his brother, fired shots. At least five men were injured, one of them in the stomach and another was hit in the neck.

The five people who were injured - Billy Dee Williams, Edwin Devasco Faircloth, Michael Lamar Daymon, Steven Ruben Jean-Jaues and Dorian Shannel Johnson - have now filed a lawsuit against the nightclub, Plies and the record label Slip-n-Slide Records.

According to an attorney for the plaintiffs, who held a press conference together to announce the lawsuit, the incident not only left them with physical injuries, but far worse, left them with psychological damage. Any sudden noise is enough to trigger panic, family members say. The incident has made them edgy and tense all the time. The lawsuit is claiming a total of $10 million from the rapper – whose real name is Algernon Washington – his record label and the nightclub combined.

Another aspect that this incident has raised is the influence of gangster rap in this unfortunate incident. According to the attorney for the plaintiffs, the rapper got carried way by the violent lyrics of his music and his clients were made to suffer.

Washington meanwhile has denied through his attorney that he should be in any way held responsible for what happened at the concert. He isn’t responsible for security arrangements, his attorney said.

He might not be responsible for the security arrangements at the venue, but when members of his entourage begin to fish their guns out and shoot randomly about, he begins to look less like an innocent bystander and more like a part of the problem. While he might not have been responsible for hiring security, he is responsible if his entourage decides to take extreme measures to control the crowd.

Five people have been injured in an incident that should have been all about music. You should not have to worry about getting your head blown off when you go out for the night – even if it’s for a gangster rap concert.

If you have been injured due to inadequate or negligent security, you need the help of an experienced California personal injury lawyer. Contact an attorney at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.